G-AKIN is a Miles M.38 Messenger 2A and was built in November 1947 by Miles Aircraft at their Northern Ireland factory, the penultimate Miles-built aircraft (constructor's number 6728). Although the first private owner, in April 1948, was Captain A W B Everard of Fighting fit at fifty-five Ratcliffe Hall, Leicestershire, the Messenger became the property of the Spiller family in August 1949. Based at Sywell from April 1952, she has been there ever since, lovingly looked after and hangared to keep her in tip-top condition.